I ron ing-machine



UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. XVENDELL, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

IRONlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,815, dated J'anuary12, 1892.

Application filed March 30, 1891. Seriai No. 386,999. (No modal.)

v fabrics With smoeth-finished surfaces and in a thoroughly-drycondition.

iieretofore machines of this character have generaiiy been constructedwith a holio w steam-heated dru m cembined either with ironingrollsacting to confine the fabrics thereon or with an endiess beit partlyencircling the drum ferthe same purpose. My invention is directed to thefull and c0mpiete utiiizatien et the heating-surtace of the drum and tothe delivery et the fabric in a perfectiy-dry condition at a convenientpoint.

In constructing 1ny machine I combine 'th the heatingdium a series etoveriying co-eperating relis, which press the advancing fabric intointimate contact with the drum, and aise an endiess belt, whichencircies the drum on the opposite side from the reliers, so that afterthe fabric is acted u pou by the relis it is carried around theremaining portion of the drum by the boit, being thus subjected duringthe secondary part et the operation to a further drying action. Inasmuchas the be1t serves to carry the fabrics back to that side of the drum onwhich they were introduced, and as it is inconvenient to have themdelivered into and out et the machine on the same side,I propose tocombine With the belt or apron abeve menlioned a second endiess belt orother suitable carrier adapted to return the finished fabrics te therear side et the machine and there deiiver the1n.

It Wiii be obvious to the skiiied mechanic that the detaiis et myconstruction are net et the essence of my invention and that they xnaybemodified at Wiii, provided oniy the drum is combined with the relis andthe aprens in such manner that they act successiveiy te confine thefabrics upon the drum and carry them completeiy around the same, orneariy se.

In, the accempanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side eievation etmy innpreved machine in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical section et the same.

Refrring to the drawings, A represents a rigid main frame, which may beef any appropriate form, and B a horizontal hollowdrum sustained byacentral shaft b, mounted in suitabie bearings b on the main franne. Thedrum is made heilow and with a smooth exterior surface of metai, itsshaft-journals being hoiiow in order to admit of steam being introducedinto the iuterior te maintain the same in a highlyheated condition.

0 0 are series of horizontal relis ciothed With feit or similar materiaiand arranged te bear on the upper surface Of the drum at short distancesapart. These relis may be meunted in anysuitabie manner; but I prefer,as shown, to mount their journais 0 in boxes c, arranged te slide instandards c on the main trame, a spring c being, arranged above each boxsubject to the action of a pressure-screw 0*, in order that the relismay be pressed with more or less force toward the dru m, ascircumstances may admit.

D represents an endiess apren of feit, tapes, canvas, or other suitabiemateriai covering the lowerhalf of the drum and passingthence areundguide-puiieys d, cl, cZ d and (1 This apron is driven in any suitabiemanner at the same or practieaiiy the same speed as the surface of thedrum. A simple driving mechanism is that shown in the drawings, in which(l represents a sprocket-wheei on theroiierd, connected by chain d to adriving-piied E reprcsents a basket, table, or other support at thefront of the machine, from which the fabrics are delivered between thesurface of the drum and the firstroii 0. As thedrum reveives the fabricis carried forward therewith under the successive relis untii it arrivesat the rear side et the drum. By this time the fabric, which has beensubjected te a high heat and to considerabie pressure and entirelyexposed to permit the escape et the Va porized 'moisture, iscomparativeiy dry and presents a smeeth surface. In passing the lastroll at the rear the fabric continues its downward course and is carriedbetween the apron D and the surface ef the drum under the latter and upto the front of the machine. In this passage under the drum the fabricis rapid escape of the moistnre.

subjected to a further drying influence, so that on delivery at thefront it is in a thoroughly-dried condition. The delivery of the fabricover the front end of the apron is insured by the presence of a beveleddoffer-bar F, which may, however, be replaced by any suitable device.

The foregoin'g parts constitute a complete and operative machine welladapted to the end in view. In order, however, to return the fabric tothe rear and there deliver it, I provide a second endless apron orcarrier G, which is passed aronnd the pnlleys d d and (I in contact withthe under surface of the main apron D and then extended over thegniding-rolls g, g, 57 9 and 9 As the fabric is delivered at the frontfrom between the drum and the main apron it is directed outward by thedoffer and passed between the rolls d and 9 and thence in a downward andrearward direction between the two aprons D and G to the rear side ofthe machine, where it is automatically delivered on the horizontalportion of the belt G, extending between the rolls g and g.

' VVhile it is preferred to employ-solid belts or aprons, particularlyin the case of the main apron D, it is to be understood that a series ofnarrow belts or tapes or a perforated belt may be employed in order topermit the more The bearings of the various rolls may be constructed andmade adjustable in any appropriate manner to maintain the tension et theaprons.

It will be observed that in my machine I utilize the heated surface ofnearly the entire circumference of the drum, so that when a drnm ofreasonably large size is used the fabrics are quickly and thoroughlyroned and dried in passing once through the machine. It will also beobserved that the belt covering the under side of the drum prevents theloss of heat which ordinarily oecurs by radiation from uncovered drums.

It will be observed that in my machine the ironing-rolls, instead ofbeing geared to the drum as usnal, are driven by frictional contact withthe intervening fabric. This is found'in praetice to be of decidedadvantage, as the rollers,turning someWhat slower than the drum, actwith a frictional eiect to retard the advance of the fabric while it isbeing snbjected to the polishing action of the drum. I also find itadvantageous to make the relis of successively-increasing diameter,preferably by giving the felt covering an increased thickness, and toadjust them so that they bear successivel With increasing pressure onthe drum. I find that when thus proportioned and adjusted and whendriven from the drum by the frictional effeet of the intervening fabric,instead of being driven by gearing, each roll will turn at slightlyhigher speed than the one next in advance. The result of this is thatthe rolls act to draw or stretch out the fabric, keeping the same 11ndertension, so that the drum acts to give them a smoother and better finishthan when the rolls are positively driven, as usual.

It is to be distinctly understood that while I prefer to clothe therelis withfelt, as hercinbefore pointed out, they may be clothed Withany analogons soft material, and that the word felt is used in thepresent specification in a generic sense as including ail soft orfelt-like material.

IIavingth us described m y invention, whatI claim is 1. In anironing-machine, the combination of a hollow drum, a series of rollsco-operating with the periphery of the drum on one side, and a travelingapron co-operating with the periphery of the drum on the opposite sideand arranged t0 automatically receive the fabricfrom the last roll andreturn it in contact with the drnm toward the side of the machine atwhich it entered, 'whereby the fabric is automatically subjected, first,to the action of the successive ironingrolls and thereatter to theheating and drying action of the drum.

2. In an ironing-machine, the combination of the rotary steam-heatedmetallic drum, the series of felt-covered rolls acting upon its uppersurface, the endless apron surrounding its under surface, and means,substantially as described, for driving sa, d apron.

3. In Combination with the steam-heated metallic drum, the sefiies otoverlying rollers covered with felt, the endless apron encircling thelower portion of the drum t0 retnrn the fabrie to the front of themachine, and the second apron or carrier co-operating With the first toreturn the fabric to anddeliver it to the rear of the machine.

4:. In an ironing-machine, in combination with a rotary steam-heateddrum and means, substantially as described, for maintaining the fabricsin contact With thedrum thronghont snbstantially ils entirecircumference that they may retnrn to a point near the point ofintroduction, a secondary carrier to deliver the fabrics after leavingthe drum to the rear of the machine.

5. In an ironing-machine, the hollow drum,

in combination With a series of feltcovered frictionally-driven rollsacting successively upon the fabric passing between them and the drum,whereby the fabric is subjected to a stretching action in addition tothe,ordinary ironing action.

6. In an ironing-machine,the hollow drum, in combination With the seriesof felt-covered frictionally-driven relis adjusted to act withsuccessively-increasing pressure toward the drum.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set m y baud, tlns 14th day of March,1891, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

FRED C. VVENDELL Vitnesses:

W. R. KENNEDY, P. T. DODGE.

IIO

